Name: Sticky lamb bao with pickled chilli and coriander
Ingredients: 2 tbsp mixed spice (or pumpkin spice, if you are in the states); 2 tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp sugar; 2 tsp olive oil; 1 lamb shoulder (around 2.25kg); 3 celery sticks, roughly chopped; 6 tangerines, sliced in half width ways; 2 garlic bulbs, sliced in half width ways; 4 banana shallots, peeled and cut half lengthways; 10 anchovy fillets; 7g fresh thyme; 750ml chicken stock; fine sea salt and black pepper; 3 red chillis; 10g soft herbs like tarragon, mint or dill (optional); 1 tbsp white sugar; 60ml cider vinegar; 2 tbsp lime juice; 100ml bitter marmalade; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tsp aleppo chilli flakes; 1 tsp mixed spice (or pumpkin spice, if you are in the states); 24 bao, steamed according to pack instructions; 20g coriander, roughly chopped; 4 spring onions (50g), thinly sliced on an angle; ½ cucumber, cut into thin batons

Sticky Lamb Bao with Pickled Chilli and Coriander

New

Main Canape / Party food

Serves 6

Prep 20 min

Cook 4 hr 45 min

Food is all about bringing people together, and what better occasion to do that than New Year’s Eve? This sticky lamb bao is the perfect dish for an evening of interactive dining with friends. Once the lamb is marinated and all the ingredients are gathered, the oven does most of the work. The result is a tender, fragrant lamb with a marmalade glaze, paired with the fresh bite of pickled chilli and crisp vegetables. Don’t be put off by the unusual combination of flavours—trust me, they work wonderfully together, and the whole thing is a delight to share.

Ingredients

MIXED-SPICE MARINATED LAMB
2 tbsp	mixed spice (or pumpkin spice, if you are in the states)
2 tsp	ground cumin
½ tsp	sugar
2 tsp	olive oil
1	lamb shoulder (around 2.25kg)
3	celery sticks, roughly chopped
6	tangerines, sliced in half width ways
2	garlic bulbs, sliced in half width ways
4	banana shallots, peeled and cut half lengthways
10	anchovy fillets
7g	fresh thyme
750ml	chicken stock
	fine sea salt and black pepper
PICKLED CHILLI
3	red chillis
10g	soft herbs like tarragon, mint or dill (optional)
1 tbsp	white sugar
60ml	cider vinegar
2 tbsp	lime juice
MARMALADE GLAZE
100ml	bitter marmalade
1 tbsp	soy sauce
2 tsp	aleppo chilli flakes
1 tsp	mixed spice (or pumpkin spice, if you are in the states)
BUILDING THE BAO
24	bao, steamed according to pack instructions
20g	coriander, roughly chopped
4	spring onions (50g), thinly sliced on an angle
½	cucumber, cut into thin batons

Method

Start by marinating the lamb. In a small bowl, stir the mixed spice, cumin, sugar and oil together with 1 ½ teaspoons salt and about 20 twists of black pepper. Place the lamb on a large roasting tray lined with parchment paper. Rub all over with the spice mix and leave to marinate out of the fridge for an hour (or in the fridge overnight).
Preheat the oven to 230c.
Place the remaining ingredients around the lamb and cover tightly with foil. Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 160 c and cook for 4 hours.
Meanwhile, add the chillis, herbs (if using), sugar, vinegar, ⅛ tsp of salt and 60ml of water to a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Place in a bowl to one side to cool completely.
Mix the marmalade glaze ingredients together in a small bowl. Remove the lamb from the oven and remove the foil. Brush the lamb all over with ¾ of the glaze, then place back in the oven and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Take the tray out and brush everything with the remaining glaze. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
To serve, place the lamb on a serving tray with a lip. With a couple of forks, pull the meat apart. Pour some of sauce from the roasting tray on top, with the rest in bowls alongside for dipping. Serve with a plate of steamed bao, along with a bowl of the pickled chillis and the sliced vegetables for your guests to build their own buns.